Pain Fundamentals: Reconciling Biomechanics with Pain Science

Description: Significant research in the pain neurosciences and biomechanics field often appears to undermine the reasoning and justifications for many of the therapeutic approaches and techniques of the physical therapy profession. By addressing the both the weaknesses and strengths of the biomechanical approach, we can see that treatment can be much simpler, congruent with the cognitive neuroscience approach and best evidenced-based practice. This course teaches the therapist how to teach patients about pain science in a treatment framework that utilizes specific/corrective exercise and manual therapy. Therapists are taught a model of treatment that simplifies the assessment process and the treatment itself. Special topics include therapeutic neuroscience education; cognition target therapeutic explanations; determining when biomechanics matters; assessment and exercise prescription; up-to-date tendinopathy rehabilitation protocols; and a reconceptualization of manual and exercise therapy that is symptom modification-based rather than biomechanically driven.

Course content includes:

Information on up-to-date assessment techniques for partitioning the role of biomechanics and therapeutic neuroscience in the treatment of pain and injury.

Demonstration of how biomechanical treatments and explanations can address the multidimensional nature of pain.

Traditional manual therapy techniques will be reframed to be maximize a biopsychosocial intervention approach

Active and passive approaches to symptom modification interventions and how these manual therapy approaches are supported by exercise interventions will be taught

Speaker Biography: I am a physiotherapist and chiropractor treating musculoskeletal disorders within a biopsychosocial model. Prior to my clinical career I was fortunate enough to receive a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council MSc graduate scholarship that permitted me to be one of only two students annually to train with Professor Stuart McGill in his Occupational Biomechanics Laboratory, subsequently publishing more than 20 peer-reviewed papers in the manual therapy and exercise biomechanics field. I was an assistant professor at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, teaching a graduate-level course in Spine Biomechanics and Instrumentation as well conducting more than 20 research experiments while supervising more than 50 students. I have lectured on a number of topics including reconciling treatment biomechanics with pain science, running injuries, golf biomechanics, occupational low back injuries and therapeutic neuroscience. My clinical musings can be seen on Medbridge Health CE and heard on various web-based podcasts. I am currently an instructor with therunningclinic.ca and with physiofundamentals.com. Both are continuing education platforms that provide clinically relevant research that helps shape and refine clinical practice. While I have a strong biomechanics background, I was introduced to the field of neuroscience and the importance of psychosocial risk factors in pain and injury management almost two decades ago. I believe successful injury management and prevention can use simple techniques that still address the multifactorial and complex nature of musculoskeletal disorders. I currently maintain three websites geared to health professionals (physiofundamentals.com and thebodymechanic.ca) and patients (painphysiotherapy.ca). I am active on social media and consider the discussion and dissemination of knowledge an important component of responsible practice.